Osteopathic medicine

Osteopathic Medicine in America

Osteopathic medicine is a distinctive form of medical care founded on the philosophy that all body systems are interrelated and dependent upon one another for good health. This philosophy was developed in 1874 by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, who pioneered the concept of "wellness" and recognized the importance of treating illness within the context of the whole body (Rosenberg1972). Andrew Taylor Still, was born in Virginia in 1828, the son of a Methodist minister and physician. At an early age, he decided to follow in his father's footsteps as a physician. After studying medicine and serving an apprenticeship under his father, he became a licensed M.D. in the state of Missouri (Gevitz 1982). Later, in the early 1860's, he completed additional coursework at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Kansas City, Missouri. Then he went on to serve as a surgeon in the Union Army during the Civil War. After the Civil War and following the death of three of h...